What to do if you get pinched?

[PragmaticHominid]

I just ordered my first mantis today, a budwing nymph. ^_^ Very excited, the little ones are so cute.

I've have a question - do mantises ever "pinch" people with their raptorial legs? If they do, how painful is it? Is there some way to make them let go, or do you just have to wait it out? What behaviors do I want to avoid to keep from scaring my mantis, and how do I know when she's p'd off and should be left alone?

I've got a parrot (and I've got scars from said parrot) so I'm not too worried about the pain thing. But I don't want to react stupidly and end up hurting my mantis, so I'd like to know what to expect.

 

[Jesskb]

mantises don't usually pinch people. If you startle a mantis, or pick it up wrong then you might get pinched. It doesn't hurt too bad, but when you get grabbed by a big mantis like a Chinese it can hurt a bit. If it happens, just be calm and the mantis will usually let go right away. lol if it moves its mouth towards you just put something between its mouth and your finger. It's really not anything to worry about.

I've only been pinched once, and that was by a frisky male chinese with a bad attitude issue. I reached down to grab him and he went into a threat pose and grabbed me before I could get my hand back. But it hurts less than being pinched by a crayfish (don't know if you've had that experience lol).

 

[Colorcham427]

I just ordered my first mantis today, a budwing nymph. ^_^ Very excited, the little ones are so cute.

I've have a question - do mantises ever "pinch" people with their raptorial legs? If they do, how painful is it? Is there some way to make them let go, or do you just have to wait it out? What behaviors do I want to avoid to keep from scaring my mantis, and how do I know when she's p'd off and should be left alone?

I've got a parrot (and I've got scars from said parrot) so I'm not too worried about the pain thing. But I don't want to react stupidly and end up hurting my mantis, so I'd like to know what to expect.

Chinese sp. that I find always pinch the ###### out of me! lol it first scared me but i got used to it and think its funny and amazing, because it is a very strong grip with sharp little teeth.

it might scare you but it won't hurt. just surprise you because they are so small, yet so strong.

 

[Rick]

This only happens when you grab a mantis forefully and don't know what you're doing. When I capture wild mantids I know how to pick them up by the thorax where they cannot reach me. However, sometimes they still do. The tips of their front legs are very sharp and will pierce the skin with no trouble. Kinda like a needle prick. THey don't really grab on and hold on forever. It's an insect so it isn't hard to get free.

In captivity most mantids should not be grabbed but instead coaxed up onto a flat hand. That normal situations they are not going to pinch you.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Ha, ha! Reading this topic so soon after hearing about Brian's friend's problems, I thought you wanted to know about how to post bail!

This should go on Rebecca's "misread thread titles" thread!

 

[Ntsees]

It has happened many times to me. I usually don't care and just let it pinch me. I just don't like seeing mantids pinching people who can't take the pinch. They usually fling the mantid into the air after getting pinched and the mantid (if she's very fat) ends up hurt after falling to the floor...ouch.

 

[lancaster1313]

I have only been smacked or grabbed and released by my Chinese if they are agitated. :lol: That is no big deal. The problems start when a hungry, and not too bright, mantis gets a hold of me. They have tried to eat my finger or hand, by accident, of course. This is when I gently grab and squeeze the thorax, if they don't stop trying to eat fingers at this point, I blow a couple of quick breaths at them, while still holding the thorax. I may let it get too far with the biting and eating, but I will try anything that will not hurt my pets. I would never just pull them off, resulting in possible damage to thier claws and tarsae. That is just my gentle way of getting them to release me.

 

[hibiscusmile]

As Rick said, always lay your hand down in front of them, or raise it a little, they will readily walk onto it. You should be fine!

 

[PeterF]

The issue really is the surprise more than the pain or tissue damage.

When the mantids get me (or the damn mormon cricket) I catch myself over reacting and worry about the possibility of the over reacting.

In the end, there's nothing to worry about and you just have to keep your cool.

 

[kitkat39]

The only time you should really worry is when you're dumb and hold food in front of their face when they are adults as I have in the past. When they attack prey and happen to get a hold of your finger, it could be rather painful as that's a different strike than one that's just meant to repel you. I've been attacked by a female multispina and a female budwing in this manner. The Budwing female was really just handicap so I thought I'd help it eat by giving it a piece of torn up food since it wasn't really able to catch it's own food so great and it accidentally caught a hold of my finger and wouldn't let go. Those two have drawn blood from me when that's happened. Other than that, they usually will just let you go and it'll be OK..

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[AmandaLynn]

As Rick said, always lay your hand down in front of them, or raise it a little, they will readily walk onto it. You should be fine!

Best advice so far, they don't want to and won't try to defend themselves unless they think they are threatened.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Quite aside from the issue of getting nipped, Rick's method reduces stress on the mantis.

 

[scXthursday]

Before Zorak decieded to fly away; I was trying to hand feed him; it worked; but he ended up biting through the food and into my hand...lucky me, but I figured hey, at least he left me a nice parting gift to remember him by...three small scars.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

If a mantis pinches you, you need to pinch it back to establish dominance. Lol just kidding of course. =p

I have found mantis to be fairly docile and have never been attacked when handling any of mine. Like Rick mentioned the key to handling them is to let them crawl on you. You don't want to grab them but let them walk up onto an outstretched hand. If you need a help getting them moving it often helps to blow lightly behind them to help stimulate them into crawling forward. You can also lightly tap a leg or their abdomen, but this can startle some and cause others to whip there head around and give you the stink eye.

Generally mantises are very easy to read and usually the only time they will attack is if they are frightened or feel threatened. They will let you know in advance when they are uncomfortable by immediatly pulling back into a threat pose. They will curl their abdomens, pull back, and stare at whatever startled them. Some will throw their claws out wide over their head. This is actually a safe position since their claws are open and thus not so easy to strike with. The more serious pose is when they pull their claws closed tightly against them, often positioning them right beneath their head turned outward to make themselves appear slightly bigger while still keeping the claws closed and ready. Adults will even flare out their wings for added dramatic effect.

If that happens you want to slow down what you are doing. Don't try to reach for them when they are like this. Instead I find swaying my upper body slightly and letting them see nothing is coming at them calms them right down. Most settle within 10secs or so once they see nothing is coming at them Once they relax back into their normal stance it is safe to move forward with whatever you were doing.

If one does grab you and hold on, first thing I would try is some quick hard puffs of air in their direction. That will probably do the trick. If they do move to bite you can always block their mouth real quick with something a simple as your shirt, pencil, or whatever you have right within reach until you coax them into giving up their hold. They can give a solid pinch, but nothing serious.

 

[lancaster1313]

If a mantis pinches you, you need to pinch it back to establish dominance. Lol just kidding of course. =p

I have found mantis to be fairly docile and have never been attacked when handling any of mine. Like Rick mentioned the key to handling them is to let them crawl on you. You don't want to grab them but let them walk up onto an outstretched hand. If you need a help getting them moving it often helps to blow lightly behind them to help stimulate them into crawling forward. You can also lightly tap a leg or their abdomen, but this can startle some and cause others to whip there head around and give you the stink eye.

Generally mantises are very easy to read and usually the only time they will attack is if they are frightened or feel threatened. They will let you know in advance when they are uncomfortable by immediatly pulling back into a threat pose. They will curl their abdomens, pull back, and stare at whatever startled them. Some will throw their claws out wide over their head. This is actually a safe position since their claws are open and thus not so easy to strike with. The more serious pose is when they pull their claws closed tightly against them, often positioning them right beneath their head turned outward to make themselves appear slightly bigger while still keeping the claws closed and ready. Adults will even flare out their wings for added dramatic effect.

If that happens you want to slow down what you are doing. Don't try to reach for them when they are like this. Instead I find swaying my upper body slightly and letting them see nothing is coming at them calms them right down. Most settle within 10secs or so once they see nothing is coming at them Once they relax back into their normal stance it is safe to move forward with whatever you were doing.

If one does grab you and hold on, first thing I would try is some quick hard puffs of air in their direction. That will probably do the trick. If they do move to bite you can always block their mouth real quick with something a simple as your shirt, pencil, or whatever you have right within reach until you coax them into giving up their hold. They can give a solid pinch, but nothing serious.

That is pretty much how it is with mine. I only have been bitten by hungry mantids, when feeding them with my fingers. I have never been pinched or bitten by an agitated mantis, just a couple of quick slaps, nothing serious.

 

[Schloaty]

What to do if you get pinched?

Smack her hand and tell her I'm married.

:lol: :angel:

 

[Emile.Wilson]

If they pinch you, every month on the full moon you will turn into a mantis and devour people.

 

[JoeCapricorn]

The worst pinch I got was when a Chinese mantis grabbed my finger in excitement thinking it was food. That hurt! That's because this mantis thought I was food, and did not want to let go. I put a piece of paper towel between my finger and the mantis's jaws, the mantis tasted the paper and grabbed that, then let it go when she realized it wasn't food.

 

[Vore]

I've been pinched once. I tried picking him up using my thumb and index finger. He didn't like that, so he pinched me. Didn't hurt too much though. In fact, to me it made him even cooler.